Usama Young
Encyclopedia
Usama Young is an American football
free safety in the NFL
for the Cleveland Browns
. He played college football
at Kent State University
.
in Largo, Maryland and was a letterman in football
, baseball
, and track. He started to play football at the age of 8. As the youngest, Usama was given the opportunity to learn from his older brothers who pushed him to never cry, complain or make excuses. When Usama was 12 he was playing football in a local pee-wee football game. During the middle of the game a rabid dog ran onto the field and terrorized the young players, coaches and family members who were on the sidelines watching. To everyone's surprise the twelve year old Usama was able to tackle the dog, tie the dog up using the chains from the down markers and successfully restore order to the pee-wee football game.
By the time Usama was a freshman in high school he developed a work ethic that would stay with him throughout his football career. As a senior in high school, he was a second team All-State honoree. Young graduated from Largo High School in 2003. He worked as a vendor at FedEx Field during home games of the Washington Redskins
while in high school. This was revealed during the SuperAd that he and his father were featured in during Super Bowl XLIII
.
2006 – A second-team All-Mid American Conference selection with a career-high 60 tackles (39 solo), two interceptions, three forced fumbles, six pass defenses and a blocked punt.
2005 – Started seven games and had 50 tackles (30 solo) - including four behind the line of scrimmage. Added two interceptions and three pass defenses.
2004 – Opened 10 games, missing one contest with a hip strain. Posted 39 stops (28 solo) and had three interceptions for 57 yards in returns.
2003 – Named honorable mention freshman All-American by College Football News after starting nine of 12 games and notching 49 tackles (32 solo), two interceptions, eight pass defenses and a pair of fumble recoveries.
, agility
, and endurance
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
free safety in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
.
Early years
Usama was born in the North East section of Washington D.C. to Dr. Khaula Muratdha and Leroi A. Young. Usama is the youngest son of their four boys. Usama Young attended Largo High SchoolLargo High School (Maryland)
Largo High School or LHS is located near Largo in the unincorporated Largo section of Prince George's County, Maryland. It is operated by the Prince George's County Public Schools system....
in Largo, Maryland and was a letterman in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, and track. He started to play football at the age of 8. As the youngest, Usama was given the opportunity to learn from his older brothers who pushed him to never cry, complain or make excuses. When Usama was 12 he was playing football in a local pee-wee football game. During the middle of the game a rabid dog ran onto the field and terrorized the young players, coaches and family members who were on the sidelines watching. To everyone's surprise the twelve year old Usama was able to tackle the dog, tie the dog up using the chains from the down markers and successfully restore order to the pee-wee football game.
By the time Usama was a freshman in high school he developed a work ethic that would stay with him throughout his football career. As a senior in high school, he was a second team All-State honoree. Young graduated from Largo High School in 2003. He worked as a vendor at FedEx Field during home games of the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
while in high school. This was revealed during the SuperAd that he and his father were featured in during Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
.
Collegiate and Professional Career
Usama was regarded as one of the top defensive prospects to emerge from Kent State in the last three decades, Young arrived in New Orleans with prototype size and speed for his position after being a three year starter at Kent State. His collegiate career totals include starting 37 of 45 games, with 198 tackles (129 solo), three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, nine interceptions with 21 yards in returns, 21 pass defenses and a blocked kick. He was a semifinalist for the Draddy Trophy in 2006, which recognizes a college player for his combined success in academics, football performance and community leadership.2006 – A second-team All-Mid American Conference selection with a career-high 60 tackles (39 solo), two interceptions, three forced fumbles, six pass defenses and a blocked punt.
2005 – Started seven games and had 50 tackles (30 solo) - including four behind the line of scrimmage. Added two interceptions and three pass defenses.
2004 – Opened 10 games, missing one contest with a hip strain. Posted 39 stops (28 solo) and had three interceptions for 57 yards in returns.
2003 – Named honorable mention freshman All-American by College Football News after starting nine of 12 games and notching 49 tackles (32 solo), two interceptions, eight pass defenses and a pair of fumble recoveries.
Training methods
Since freshman year of high school, Young trains with an athletic group known as The Stable, working on speedSpeed
In kinematics, the speed of an object is the magnitude of its velocity ; it is thus a scalar quantity. The average speed of an object in an interval of time is the distance traveled by the object divided by the duration of the interval; the instantaneous speed is the limit of the average speed as...
, agility
Agility
* Agility is a physical trait of an animal or person, and a component of physical fitness. It is the ability to change the body's position and direction with speed and precision.Agility may also refer to:In Sport:...
, and endurance
Endurance
Endurance is the ability for a human or animal to exert itself and remain active for a long period of time, as well as its ability to resist, withstand, recover from, and have immunity to trauma, wounds, or fatigue. In humans, it is usually used in aerobic or anaerobic exercise...
.